In our last big group editing night, as we sat around eating pizza with our laptops open, I couldn’t help feeling grateful. Coming into this position with Canvas, I’ll admit, I was nervous. I had a small team in mind and was hopeful for a huge amount of growth. We had an awesome time at the fall org fair, although it was much too hot. There seemed to be a lot of interest in our magazine and what we were about. We had a huge list of interested names. Little by little, this list whittled down into a passionate group of editors, writers, journalists, and artists. The fall semester flew by, and suddenly it was our last night of editing. We were a bit behind schedule, but it was alright. I remember feeling so proud of the room of talented and strong women I was lucky to be leading. We went through the written content but got sidetracked by photos of squirrels and our personal lives. I’ve been humbled to watch Canvas grow since I signed on as Design Chief last year and now as the Editor in Chief. We’ve got new perspectives and glimpses of our Hamline community. We’ve got homegrown music and stories of time spent abroad. I’m already ecstatic about our spring issue, but in the meantime: come Canvas with us.
Chloe McElmury Editor in Chief
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Scribblings of a Sappy Study Abroad Student Hamline Hangouts Photo Op David Hudson, the Long Road to Hamline Study Space Sketches Tour of Offices Where Do English Majors end Up? “Eye Candy” Tales about Tails Under Her Wing, Red Bird Takes Flight Captured Moments Lost in Transition Meet Alexander Natalie “Patriotic Values” Communications, the Easy Major Canvas Confessions
Fall 2018 | 3
Photo by Natalie Pieterick
Scribblings of a sappy study abroad student Words by Chloe McElmury THURSDAY (5/24) Today I really felt present and aware that I was in Paris and that’s amazing. I absolutely loved the Musee d’Orsay. The Impressionists were beautiful, my familiar color schemes of cotton candy skies. I would hunt each painting for a small trace of flowers, anywhere. The Degas sculpture of the ballerina made me think of my mother, and I’m not sure why. I took a photo of it for her. When I was little, I had a large framed print of young ballerinas, stretching against a barre. After we left the museum, we found ourselves walking across the bridge where everyone locks up their love. A passing older man and I made eye contact for a moment, and he remarked that I had “beautiful blue eyes” on the bridge. He seemed French but spoke in English. I thought it was nice that he looked at my eyes before anything else. Every mundane thing today seemed magical. Even drinks by the Gare du Nord at dusk with a little group of us seemed special. I was happy.
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TUESDAY (5/29) I think if I could stop wanting this, it would come. And I can say and write that I won’t do it again, but I still need it. They all say I have so much time, but that isn’t reassuring to someone who sees all of the fleeting moments and mourns them. I’m not sure why I am so hung up on this, always. It never really leaves me. Today, it’s got me feeling fluttery and uneasy. Driving through the French countryside, I feel like it’s been untouched by time. There are probably buildings and farms that have been here for years and decades and generations. Everything is so damn green and lush. W e pass miniature forests that remind me of home. It is all dark green and wild and alive. There are large expanses of land, larger than I’ve seen in Minnesota, before interruptions of buildings. You’re only reminded of the current decade by the electrical lines and cars. Otherwise, I would be fooled. I don’t think I will sleep at all on the bus ride. I enjoy looking out the window: in planes, trains, and cars. It gives me two types of feelings. The first being very reflective. It gives me time to think and just listen to music. To think about things I want or miss or need. Secondly, it sort of makes me feel like I’m in a music video, as silly as that sounds. I’ve always felt that way, even since being a child. There’s some glamorous power it gives, watching the Earth pass you as you’re on your way somewhere.
Photo by Chloe McElmury
FRIDAY 6/1 I notice as we’ve been moving east, the buildings are changing. They are less classical, FrenchChâteau-type of homes. They seem like either ancient farmhouses or more modern houses that you could see in America. I notice the speckling of purple and yellow flowers along the road. I notice a deer wading in grass up to its shoulders. I wonder if it has ever encountered a human. I notice so many trees. I thought Minnesota had a lot of trees, but I think France has got us beat. I notice I don’t see very many birds. I think I could count all of the birds I’ve seen on my fingers. (Not including pigeons). I notice I’m the only one constantly staring at the window. Jokes are made that I’m like a dog, but why wouldn’t you be trying to take in all that you can? I notice strong mountains and pines. I notice stone pillars with a gate that no longer leads anywhere, worn down by time. I notice an abandoned and ruined stone tower. Or maybe it was a really tall house. It isn’t anything anymore. WEDNESDAY 6/6 At the supermarket a family was buying some milk and it was only 89¢. They wanted to pay by credit card, and the lady was trying to explain it wasn’t even a whole Euro and they didn’t understand. Somehow I did even though this conversation was all in French. So, I gave them a Euro, and their reception was so sweet. They had two little girls and they both said “merci beaucoup” to me. It brought me a lot of joy that I could have this little interaction, all by myself. I felt even more proud that I had understood the situation, even though I was abroad. Photo by Chloe McElmury
Photo by Chloe McElmury
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HAMLINE HANGOUTS Words by CASSIE WILLAERT Shopping
Hamline University students seem to be drawing away from the block meal plans after their first year and begin living off campus. With Hamline’s class sizes increasing almost every year, the question remains the same: where do students go for their meals? In most cases an astoundingly confident “Target” booms from their diaphragm with overwhelming excitement. When asked where most Hamline students go grocery shopping, the majority said the Targets either on Hamline and University Ave or in Roseville on County B. Of course Target has it all, from groceries to school supplies and even everything you don’t need but convince yourself you do. Hamline students have “targeted” their choice on where to spend their money wisely.
Relaxation and Productivity
In social aspects, other hangouts may be more appropriate. For those of you new to the Hamline-Midway area, our student body has provided us with a few of the best hotspots to treat yourself to snacks while also being productive. Junior Radian Lenz says one of her favorite hangout spots is Cafe Astoria on Grand Ave. The cafe is famous for their 24K latte where literal 24 carat gold flakes are sprinkled on top of each and every latte to give pizazz. “It’s a great place to do homework or catch up with friends because the environment is so friendly and comfortable too!” The cafe is also known for crepes, which are getting harder to find these days. Of course there are many other cafes near campus like Groundswell Coffee and Ginkgo that each serve their own unique menu and purposes to the customers. Both are within walking distance to campus and are a fan favorite due to aesthetics on the walls and detailing on the drinks and bakery items.
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FUN AND ENTERTAINMENT
On a more adventurous note, nearby CanCan Wonderland is an 18-hole indoor golf course designed by local artists with everything from a State Fair-inspired hole to your grandma’s living room and everything in between! Junior Monty Stenroos says he brought his mother there to celebrate Mother’s Day last year. “She had a blast! My younger brother and sister came too; it was the perfect way to get the family together and have some fun!” The mini-golf building is attached to BlackStack Brewery for those of age or families that make an outing together after their game of golf. With eight different Minnesota-crafted beers on tap and three different food trucks that stop in the parking lot on given days of the week, it’s sure to be a “win” for everyone!
Photo ops Photos by Franki Hanke
Public Art
Although a it’s not an original idea, the I Like You wall is a perfect way to show off the things or people you enjoy spending time with. With the words “I like you” written in different colors plastered all over a brick wall you are certain to get your point across while also having a cute backdrop to your activityfilled day. Need more murals in your life? Head to downtown Minneapolis to check out the Bob Dylan mural! The Hamline-Midway neighborhood is also scattered with beautiful murals reflective of our community. Check out Midway Murals for the locations.
Any and Every Coffee Shop
Coffee is a friend to anyone in need. It also happens to make for a great close-up opportunity. For any detailed designs that are drawn in foam or cream in the coffee, it’s a reason to take a picture that will not only make you look good but give a new appreciation for warm drinks during the upcoming winter. Whether you stay near campus at Groundswell, or trek to Cafe Astoria for a fancy 24K latte, the Twin Cities has an abundance of options for coffee enthusiasts.
Como Conservatory
Beautiful flowers and plants fill the Como Conservatory. Exotic and native plants fill a glass bubble in a way that will glorify your camera lens too. You’ll feel right at home in a room filled with bright colors and comforting smells.
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You have probably seen English Professor David Hudson in passing around Hamline: round tortoiseshell glasses, briefcase in tow, always looking sharp in a great sweater. We could talk about his favorite color or favorite food, but through my time with Professor Hudson what I found the most interesting was his journey to Hamline and all the twists and turns that careers can often take us on. Being college students, this can be a refreshing perspective to understand. Hudson was born in Michigan, but then spent most of his childhood and teenage years in Winnipeg, Canada. After spending a year at the University of Manitoba studying physics, he then realized that though the science field is interesting he wanted to make a change in majors and study English and journalism. “I had a love for science but I soon realized I was not as into the major as some of my fellow classmates,” Hudson said. At the time, the University of Minnesota was one of the best schools for journalism, and as Hudson had fond memories of family in Minneapolis he decided to make the trek down south to become a Gopher. Four years later in 1979, he graduated with a double major in English and journalism and with dreams of being a journalist. At first he started out working internship-type jobs at WCCO as well as working for a former professor at a small publishing company. 8 | Canvas
He was sending his resume out to many employers with little response. “I then caught a big break, out of the blue got a job at ABC News in New York,” said Hudson. Just like that, in 1982 Hudson was off to the Big Apple to work in the political unit of ABC. “It was an emotional and professional roller coaster, but I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything,” said Hudson. He spent his time in New York working on the news team that covered elections, projecting election results and analyzing what casting a ballot actually meant to voters. The city was overwhelming, and he didn’t quite understand the urgency to be the first reporter on the scene. Although Hudson gained a lot of career and life experience in New York, after two years the thrill of the city that never sleeps soon wore him down, and he was ready for another big change in his life. He felt something was missing in his education and started taking night classes at Columbia University to continue studying English. “I always thought journalism was the practical one, it’s the one that is going to make me a living, while English was for my soul,” said Hudson. “In New York, I started to consider whether I could take what I did for my soul and make it pay.”
He applied to Columbia University in New York and his alma mater, the University of Minnesota. This desire to come back to Minnesota was always in the back of Professor Hudson’s mind. When the time came, Minnesota was the right choice as Hudson was offered a full-ride with the opportunity to be a teaching assistant. Through a long process of getting his Ph.D, starting a family, and part-time teaching at both Hamline and Augsburg College, Hudson said, “I reached a crisis point where I thought this academic life just isn’t going to happen, so I started looking for other things.” Hudson explored other options, including a consulting company for nonprofits in Berkeley, California. However, at this time, Voter News Service had come together and decided to have an office in every state. Due to his experience with ABC News, an offer was made for him to set up a state office in Minnesota. In 1999, Hudson established the state headquarters at Hamline, therefore creating the opportunity to teach full-time as an English professor at Hamline.
“Hamline was the most open to new ideas and new ways of thinking about the type of programming a faculty member could contribute,” Hudson said. Hamline was very interested in the Voter News Service and how students, particularly journalism students, could be involved and use it as a valuable learning experience. “Hamline was also open to the idea of me teaching British survey of literature and then turn around and teach a fundamentals of journalism class. In most places that would’ve been unheard of,” Hudson explained. “Hamline allowed me to use those two sides of myself to improve and enhance what I was doing on either end of them.” With his time here at Hamline, Hudson has taught a variety of courses. He has used all the different skills he studied in school and in the professional world. Everything from reporting journalism to analyzing different literary texts is right in Hudson’s wheelhouse. His favorite subject to teach is writing during the World War II era. The history of that time and the types of writing in that time period intrigued Hudson so much he wrote his dissertation on it. He had success in his vision for teaching higher learning. He believes that English and journalism are very important to learn even if they aren’t specifically in your major: “In the world we live in with information just bombarding us, it’s important to be able to grab ahold of pertinent information, whether it’s science, government, politics, whenever you are communicating with people.” In addition to teaching, Hudson is the advisor for the student-led newspaper The Oracle. “My favorite thing has been The Oracle. I love it because the people that are there, are there because they want to be there, and for no other reason.” People from all different majors come together to write, take pictures, and contribute in their own way. The Oracle has done very well placing in national conferences against schools that are bigger and in which the newspapers are run by whole journalism Departments. This is something that Hudson is very proud of. This is just one of the many ways Hudson has touched Hamline students. Professor Hudson andhis journey taught me that sometimes you change career paths until you find what makes your soul happy. When you find out where you are supposed to be, you then can bring your talents to these new opportunities and impact not only your own life but others’ as well. I think many of us students can agree that we are thankful Hudson’s path eventually brought him to Hamline.
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First Floor Bush Library “I’m naturally loud, and I can be loud on the first floor.” Brooklynn Worms, Sophomore
y d u St Sket
Blue Gardens “It’s pretty when the afternoon
sun is slanting through the trees and warming your back.” KT Cahow, Junior
Sketches by Mary Kippley
“In springtime, or mid-fall. I have a hidden place under a tree I like to study in.”
Whitney Gaffney, Sophomore
Third Floor Anderson “I like studying there when no one’s around.” Michaela, Junior
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University Honors Lounge “I like that not a lot of people are there. And the variety of study spaces–they have coffee tables, carpeted floor to sit on, regular study tables. I move around a lot when I study.” Jada Bennett, First-year
Space tches Whether it’s for midterms, finals, or a possible pop quiz, there’s always somewhere to study at Hamline.
Commuter Lounge “It has a microwave, so I can do my assignments and eat whenever I want to. It’s convenient.” Pang Yee Khang, Sophomore
Third Floor Bush Library “It’s (supposed to be) quiet. I can’t work with distractions.” Eli Fay, Sophomore
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Tour of
Offices
From the artistic to the zany, these are some of the coolest offices on campus. Words by Lydia Hansen Photos by Sophie Warrick
Allison Baker Step inside her office in the Studio C building, behind the Drew Fine Arts Center, and notice the generous splotches of hot pink and green paint on the floor and the litter of bright blue and pink swatches of fabric. A half-finished, handmade vest is draped over a chair, there’s a giant inflatable cactus on top of a shelf in one corner, and her sagging green and red plaid couch is overstuffed with art magazines and lost pens. Although it’s technically a large office, between the paint cans and the six-foot steel and paper putty structure dominating the middle of the room, the space feels exceptionally cluttered. But that mess is the natural product of Allison Baker’s creative process. As an assisstant professor of studio arts and sculpture, Baker’s office doubles as her studio, and when she’s not teaching, she’s there creating new work. The studio is “weirdly clean” at the moment because Baker recently installed a large volume of work at a show in Mankato, but she said there’s usually “10,000 SuperAmerica coffee cups and just trash and garbage everywhere. My students tell me it’s a disgusting cesspit.” Mostly, though, her office is a space for collecting the weird, which abounds on the shelves lining one wall where Baker stores materials she may some day use in sculptures. Sometimes organized in boxes and sometimes 12 | Canvas
scattered higgledy-piggledy, these materials run the gambit from molds of ears and noses to fish tank gravel to an entire box of plastic snakes. “I keep promising myself I’m going to do something with them,” Baker said. “If things sit around long enough they tend to get used up.” There’s no telling how long it will take for Baker’s studio to cycle through a new batch of oddities, but Baker says having the space is vital to her artistic output. “I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without this space,” she said. “It really makes my work and my life here possible.”
Kate Meyer Something about Kate Meyer’s office screams “globetrotter!”
said.
Most of Meyer’s souvenirs are from East Asia, Maybe it’s the red, blue, and gold bangles she where she traveled extensively while spending brought back from India or the collection of little four years teaching at a Japanese high school. A animal figurines she’s picked up while traveling in screen with the name and motto of the school Asia. Maybe it’s the suncatcher made of glass cranes still hangs on her wall. She also has a wicked hanging from the wall or the unique painted planter Godzilla display made of blocks and Beanie for her thriving office plants. Or maybe it’s all the Babies and inspired by a childhood of watching postcards and photos Meyer has collected from, well, old Godzilla movies. everywhere. It’s hard to pick the coolest thing out of her Almost everything in Meyer’s office is a souvenir office, but one eyecatcher was the pop-up from her extensive travels. That’s only fitting since Japanese Christmas card she received from a she’s the Gobal Engagment Specialist. previous student. The card unfolds to reveal iconic sights from Japan, from the Tokyo Tower “I like color and things that make me smile,” Meyer and Asakusa shrine to the Kyoto and Osaka said. “So for the most part, everything in here has a castles. purpose to be bright and cheery.” “You’ve basically got a whole mini-Japan,” Meyer Meyer has traveled to so many countries she said. “Whenever I get tired of one side of it, I can’t quite remember the number, but she said it’s just turn it to something new.” definitely over 20. She rattled off a list that included Japan, China, Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, France, Although her office is tucked away in the Global Iceland, India, Mexico, Guatemala, Canada, and New Engagement Center in the basement of Old Zealand before she lost track. Main, it’s one that definitely ranks among the most memorable places on campus. “That’s kinda where my money goes: to pay off my student debt, to travel, or my fur children, Robin the Kitten Wonder and Eleanor Meow-sevelt,” Meyer
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David Schultz David Schultz has unusual bragging rights: he’s on the Pez advance distribution notice list. It’s an honor Pez reserves for a select, dedicated few, but Schultz has earned the privilege by being the proud owner of the entire presidential Pez collection. All 43 Pez dispensers, displaying plastic busts of every president from George Washington to Barack Obama, are on display in his office in the Giddens Alumni Learning Center. Schultz, a professor of political science, started collecting them in 2014 when a former student bought him his first set of five. “I thought, ‘oh heck, if I’ve got five, I might as well buy the whole set,’” Schultz said. But Schultz’s Pez collection is just one of the many offbeat collectibles he’s accumulated over 20 years of teaching at Hamline. In addition to a truly staggering number of books, Schultz’s office decor displays a quality of randomness that connects his hobby (astronomy) with his passion (political science) and his odd sense of humor. “There’s a lot of what I call interesting kitsch,” Schultz said. “It’s junk that I think is just fun to look at and things I like to show students or that reflect my odd sense of humor.
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There’s a rubber chicken. A glass eyeball. A wienermobile whistle. A lava lamp. A gargoyle (Schultz said every office should have one). A secret decoder ring. Trump and Obama chia pets. A box of Barf (it’s actually a kind of Iranian laundry detergent, but Schultz said the name was too funny to pass up). Schultz also has pictures hanging on almost every available stretch of wall that document his travels (he’s taught in 17 different countries) and his interest in astronomy. “I started off college wanting to be a particle physicist,” Schultz said. “To do that you have to be a genius in math. I’m good but not a genius.” So instead he’s a hobby astronomer (albeit one with a master’s degree), and his collage of eclipse prints provide a backdrop to his 43 Pez dispensers and other collected oddities.
Lisa Nordeen
campus who were doing some work in one of the classrooms, and I walked up to them and said, ‘I need you to come down to my office and look at this one wall. I don’t care what you do, [but] can you paint it a different color so I don’t feel like I’m in a concrete cell?” A long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, Lisa Nordeen fell in love with Star Wars. A slightly shorter time ago in the basement of Bush Library, she let that passion explode all over her office. “I always wanted all of the toys, and my mom always said no,” Nordeen explained. “I blame her because I didn’t have them as a kid, so whenever I see one now I think ‘I can buy that for myself.’” And she does. From her Mr. Potato Head stormtrooper and miniature BB-8 to the stormtrooper stickers on her desk and Rebel Alliance sneakers she wears on Fridays, Nordeen has more than made up for any childhood deprivation. But when she first got to Hamline nine years ago, Nordeen said her office was pretty minimalist. “All four walls were painted white,” Nordeen said. “I happened upon some of the painters on
The resulting blue-green wall is now mostly hidden under gigantic sticky notes Nordeen has collected from the students in her FYSEM class, “Jedi Mind Tricks: Using the Power of the Force to Succeed in College.” It’s not all Star Wars in her office, though. As Assistant Dean for Academic Success and Retention, Nordeen also stockpiles anything she finds useful in supporting students, particularly during tough conversations. She hoards folders, notebooks, and flash cards and keeps colored markers, dice, and fidget toys on hand. “I want there to be things to look at,” Nordeen said. “I want there to be things to play with and occupy their hands. That’s intentional.” But the accumulated Star Wars paraphernalia? Nordeen just likes to have it around. And she says what she has in her office is only the tip of a much bigger iceberg she keeps at home.
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The English major gets a bad rap. Even on the campus of a liberal arts college, it’s still shockingly common to hear quips about ending up as a barista. However, people actually in the major prove the overall perception is outdated. Interviewing graduates from Hamline’s English program, not a single one would change their degree if they were teleported back in time. Every single person was satisfied with where their degree took them, but there’s intense diversity in where English majors end up. From technical writing, librarianship, or teaching to marketing, law, software, or medicine, careers for English majors are everywhere. Some followed the anticipated rhythm: graduate and find a job—like Christina Zauhar, a 2009 graduate.
Zauhar met her current boss while in class; he spoke as a guest speaker while she was in law school. Afterward, she introduced herself and mentioned her interest in clerking for Halberg Criminal Defense where he was a partner. While they weren’t currently hiring, she passed on her card and a few months later a clerkship was hers. That position led to the full-time job she has with them now. “The story of how I got my job is a perfect example of how networking works,” Zauhar said. In much the same way, Carey Nadeau, a 1999 graduate, credits her positions to being upfront about what she wanted to do. “As a non-confrontational person that’s a challenge, but so, so important,” Nadeau said. Initially, Nadeau worked in art and arts education nonprofit but switched into the healthcare world as a grant administrator after finding she wanted a change. Her ability to speak up helped her both get her initial job and aid the swap into a new area. Utilizing an English degree in scientific medical industries isn’t uncommon. Amy Ruuska, a 1994 graduate, now works as a clinical pharmacist at Methodist Hospital, but she wouldn’t change her English degree. Instead, she wishes she’d added a major in biology to complement her eventual doctorate in pharmacy. “Like the Dixie Chicks’ song, I seemed to take the long way around to arrive at my current job,” Ruuska said. She obtained her EMT certification and worked as a camp nurse for the Girl Scouts which led to a full-time position creating programs for the scouts. “This role also rejuvenated my interest in science, which led to applying to the Doctor of Pharmacy program at the University of Minnesota.” The idea that some industries don’t need the skills of an English major just doesn’t add up. Even Danielle St. Louis, a 2006 graduate, and Kris Hackney, a 1994 graduate, in marketing and software respectively, utilize their degrees daily even if, at first glance, they might seem like a stretch.
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“My world was rocked. I had no idea there were so many career paths for someone with my skill sets,” St. Louis said, upon finding the realm of professional writing. “My English background is 100 percent relevant and prepared me for this career, and even though I never would have imagined this as where I’d end up, this is exactly where I want to be.” In the same way, Hackney didn’t anticipate ending up as Executive Vice President for Customer Experience at a software company when he attended school in the 90s. He now works at Applied Systems in a digital industry that he’s been in for 25 years. “My ability to write effectively and think critically is so important to my role. Being an English major ultimately taught me to think,” Hackney said. “It is an undervalued and perhaps misunderstood major, like liberal arts in general, perhaps, but I wouldn’t change a thing about that.” Some majors found that they struggled to find a fitting position immediately postgraduation but don’t blame liberal arts or the English Department. They credit it to not complementing their English degree with the right experience to find a job they liked. Laurie Simenson, a 1978 graduate, ended up as a supervisor librarian in Hennepin County, but initially following graduation she worked in offices, cleaned houses, and returned home for a job in a school district she couldn’t stand long term. “I graduated with an English degree and no real marketable skills,” Simenson said. “Basically, I realized that I was graduating with a lovely degree that, in of itself, would not get me a job.” However, her work experience in the library at Hamline and at home in Buffalo led her into a master’s program in library science. Eventually, she started a life-long career as a librarian that she’s been in now for over 30 years—without a day of boredom.
“English was an ideal major for me, and in many ways librarianship was an ideal career for me,” Nienow said, but unlike Simenson, she never struggled to find a position. Eleven days after graduating with her master’s, she had an offer. In that way, the jokes surrounding English majors and unemployment might be misplaced, but some areas of the humor are correct: some do end up working in education. Mindy Christianson always planned to be a teacher, as did Dr. Artika Tyner. While Christianson only adjusted the age level she’d teach at, Tyner veered towards law instead when she realized the classroom might not have a wide enough impact for the inequalities she wanted to address. Now Christianson has a three-block commute to her job teaching college level courses in English and communications in her hometown’s high school, while Tyner works as the Associate Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion at the University of St. Thomas, but they both started in the same place: the English department of Hamline, and they are both happy with where they ended up. The English major provides a wide framework for learning skills that fit into a multitude of different industries and careers. Ultimately, with so many potential careers, it’s important for those in the program to couple their degree with networking, experience, and additional education that lead them towards the specificity they want. But no matter where that takes them, an English degree is a worthwhile step on the way. Franki Hanke is an English major herself and works for the department curating their blog Hamline Lit Link. Full stories on each of the graduates mentioned in the above story appeared in their What Next? series earlier this semester. To read their tales in full, visit https://tinyurl.com/hamlinelitlink.
Beth Nienow, too, pursued a master’s in library science after graduation and worked as a librarian for years before retiring at 55 years old. Fall 2018 | 17
Visual by Zully Sosa 18 | Canvas
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TAles About Tails HAMLINES MOST INFAMOUS RESIDENTS: THE SQUIRRELS WORDS AND PHOTOS BY FRANKI HANKE As much as Hamline is known as being the oldest private university in Minnesota or recognized by the clock tower of Old Main, the most infamous factor for anyone who’s set foot on campus is the squirrels.
The Bad “A squirrel last summer ran into my foot as I was walking through campus and scared itself.” Sam Ealy, senior “One of them by Drew stares me down every morning. It could very well be a different one because they all look similar, but I’m pretty sure it’s the same one because she’s always digging in the same spot and then I come out for class and she stares at me until I pass her and then she goes back to digging (not actually sure about gender, my soul kinda believes that they’re female though).” Brianna LeGarde, junior
The Good “My roommates and I once saw a squirrel eating an entire slice of pizza. One year when we lived in the apartments we had a friend that visited us on our window [sill], and we named him Alvin.” Morgan Fox, senior “I stayed in the dorms my first year and, like most college kids, I missed my family a lot. After seeing all of the squirrels running around campus, I started to send pictures to my mom because she’s obsessed with animals. It turned into a fun way for us to stay connected and for her to feel like she’s with me. Even though I commute now, I still send her pictures of the squirrels all the time.” Makayla Durand, senior
“My first year, I had squirrels throw acorns at me and chase me when I was eating in the Blue Garden.” Kayla Bruflodt, senior “My first year I lived in Sorin and not a day went by that I didn’t have a squirrel jump out at me when I was trying to take the garbage out. There was even a time that it ran so quickly it ended up locking itself in the back room of Sorin trapped in the top corner of the door. “My friends and I called safety and security to come help, and they actually ended up chucking a football at it to get it to scurry out the door because it was growling from being trapped and scared that no one wanted to get close to it. I was honestly terrified of it landing on my head as I was opening the door for it to run out!” Cassie Willaert, junior
The Legendary “Have you seen the White Squirrel? Legend has it: it appears before either a storm, a bad grade, or a canceled class. Conversely, the Red Squirrel signals abnormally warm days in winter, a good grade, and an exciting extra-curricular event.” Tijqua Daiker, senior “I think they were spotted in the Heights to soccer field region a lot? [I don’t know] if they ever did anything weird except just be albino, and people would always be so excited when they saw the albino squirrel and everyone would excitedly share that they too have seen said squirrel or lament that they have yet to.” Skyler Kane, junior
Everyone has stories or theories about the squirrels (and their transformation into bunnies once the sun sets), but for anyone outside of the Hamline community, our obsession with these critters might just be a bit nuts.
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Under her wing, Red Bird takes flight On alumna Sarah Hayes and local publishing house Red Bird Chapbooks Photos and Words by Franki Hanke
“The whole press was inspired… by a Hamline class.” Sarah Hayes, sipping a short chai tea latte at a table piled with hand-crafted chapbooks, traces back the roots of the non profit publishing house Red Bird Chapbooks she now leads as editor-in-chief.
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side as a multimodal artist following a Peeking at the back covers of each of the poetry collections, otherwise very strict, fact-driven undergraduate degree. known as chapbooks, scattered over the coffeehouse table, there’s “I actually work in finance and business, a similarity between all of the and I didn’t expect changing that—and I different designs: in the corner didn’t,” Hayes said. “My master’s degree in the back of the book is a penwas kind of a treat to myself, my gift for drawn doodle of a red bird, the all my hard work.” tradition of Red Bird Chapbooks.
Before Red Bird Chapbooks was started before Hayes was involved. Back in 2007, Professor Regula Russell of Hamline University’s Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program asked Dana Hoeschen, in her bookmaking class, to come up with the name of a personal press. Hoeschen chose Red Bird. The exercise in class grew into a true publishing house under Hoeschen’s leadership until three years ago when she chose to step down. The other board members didn’t want to see the press close. Hayes rose to the occasion. Since taking over the role of editor-in-chief, which Hayes has added to her work as a book designer and editor, her first interaction with Red Bird came well before 2015. In fact, Hayes was first involved with Red Bird before her graduation from Hamline’s MFA program in 2011. “It’s a great program. I’m glad I went there for that,” she said.
Then Initially, she hadn’t entered Hamline to complete the MFA program. She’d come to complete the now retired Masters of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) program, which focused on diverse courses that wouldn’t often fit in traditional graduate programs. For Hayes, the MALS program was attractive to her creative 22 | Canvas
Once in the program, Hayes found the crossover between the MALS and the MFA reignited her love of poetry. “I’d written poetry since I was a child,” she said. So, she switched programs. There, she would connect with Red Bird, through an invitation to submit work. “My first interaction…was making a piece of art to go along with a poem.” Since that first taste of Red Bird, Hayes stayed connected and once she became an integral part, she’s grown the press from fewer than 10 volunteer members to around 20. Under her leadership, the press has taken flight.
“I was not the founder, but I was one of the founding.”
Now Today, Hayes is involved with book production from end to end, overseeing and partaking in every step of the publishing process, which starts with initial readings. The process starts when a piece, like Noah Stetzer’s Because I Can See Needing a Knife, is received. Initially, works are submitted to the team of editors who read blind, and a collection is only picked up if an editor volunteers to handle it. Essentially, an editor snatches up and claims the collections that call to them and promises to invest the time to take that author through the entire process. Hayes remembers reading and liking Stetzer’s work, but passed it onto the editors. “I fell in love with this collection,” she said. “But I sent it on to my team.” Another editor claimed Stetzer’s work, which deals with the diagnosis of HIV and the dramatic life changes that follow. However, Hayes saw Because I Can See Needing a Knife once more as the designer for his chapbook. Hayes and the Red Bird team take the design process exceptionally seriously. The question is how best to complement and enhance the contents of the chapbook. For some, a clever solution can be simplistic; a collection of paired paintings and poems titled Catalpa by Jamie Lynn
Buehner, for example, features a clear binding string to avoid any distraction from the visual elements inside. With Stetzer’s work, the challenge was a single poem with abnormally long line breaks, which required more ingenuity. As a poet herself, Hayes knew the importance of those long lengths, but Stetzer reached out, knowing that they wouldn’t fit on a regular page and offered to change the breaks. Instead, Hayes designed a book with a fold-out page, encompassing the long lines of his poem so he didn’t have to adjust his intention. “He really appreciated the care of having another poet who figured out a way to honor that and understood the importance of those line breaks,” Hayes remembered. That relationship between Red Bird and their authors is unique because each of their volunteers is an artist themselves. “We all approach it understanding what it would mean to us if the work were our own words.”
After That passion and care for other artists is the driving force for Red Bird Chapbooks, but behind it all is Sarah Hayes. She works a day job for another non profit
in finance and runs the publishing house additionally. They produce from 12 to 30 books in a year, building the printed pages into books together by hand every Wednesday. Beyond the time investment, Hayes has sacrificed her own voice to amplify others. Following a chapbook of her own as part of the editorial series, where all the Red Bird editors produced collections, Hayes has had two collections resting on a shelf, but it’s a sacrifice she says she made willingly in order to work for the authors Red Bird is publishing. “We have some collections that are about incredibly human moments,” Hayes says before describing the challenges of designing a book for an author who passed away and working with his estate to tackle the raw, powerful writing capturing the experience of seeing an abuser across the cash register buying groceries.
and searching for the correct shade of red for the binding; digging through the tool box from her aircraft mechanic life to find a hand drill to punch holes big enough in a thicker manuscript; or driving to the warehouse to feel and compare the weights of paper. She’s the one who completes each book, adding the bird in the back as a small touch of her influence on each and every one. So far, Hayes has drawn over 4,000 birds in the corners of chapbooks, each year with a different species in the same red pen. “You can imagine it’s unique in every single copy,” she said. Like their authors and the poems they share, each of the birds tucked inside the bound pages are a bit different, yet they are all the same, all red birds of Red Bird Chapbooks.
Without Red Bird, those voices and stories might not reach anyone. Red Bird is allowing authors to find more publishing opportunities, end up in the Poet’s House in New York City, or receive tenure. For those successes, and the community that experiences them, Hayes doesn’t regret her sacrifice. Instead, she talks with nothing but love of her work, their authors, and the tactile relationship with a crafted book. She’s the person stalking through a Jo-Ann’s craft store, holding prints of cover art
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Visuals and Words by Natalie Pieterick Every day I took a instant photo to document my experience in France. I thought doing so, with an instant photography, was a way that I could document it in the now. Using film makes the user think more about the photo before they take it, rather than being a tourist that photographs everything. That’s exactly why I wanted to bring my instant camera with me. Each photo brings me back to a different day, whether that is when we walked around Versailles, visited the Musee d’Orsay, or made it to the top of the Eiffel Tower. I did use my phone to take photos, but using my film pushed me to think about my photography and presence in another country. I specifically remember lining up the shot of a duck on a water tank, something that was not necessarily an important moment of the trip, but it brings me back to sitting with classmates in the park near the Louvre.
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Lost in transition Pending adulthood makes securing an identity in college confusing. Words by Hanna Bubser I feel like an adult today. I paid my rent on time, I cleaned my house, I bought two week’s worth of groceries, and my Google Calendar is set until the end of the semester. I feel good! Yesterday, I did not feel like an adult. I skipped class to sleep in, I re-wore clothes from my dirty laundry basket because I am procrastinating doing a load, and I ate a bag of Cheetos for dinner. I felt like a mess. Welcome to college: the only place where you can have your life completely together one day and then decide to not “adult” the next day without too many devastating consequences (obviously these consequences differ depending on the person, but still). Also, let me just add that I have only been known to eat Cheetos for dinner one time. Okay, maybe four. One word that comes to mind amidst all these examples is “transition.” That is literally college in a nutshell: a time of transition. We spend four years, give or take, wandering around a campus with somewhat of a sense of purpose, but not a true sense of who we are. As someone who works in the admission office, I meet plenty of people who think they know exactly what they want to do upon coming into college. I always bite my tongue because I want to warn them how that likely could change, but I know deep down that it is something they’ll just have to learn on their own. Upon coming to college, many of us pick our majors, schedule our classes, join our clubs, and get our jobs. Yet when many of us first enroll, we are around 18 years old. 26 | Canvas
Many of us have no idea what it’s truly like to be on our own. For those students who do have a sense of this, I envy you. You had a head start on me and many others. We could learn a thing or thousand from you. Speaking from the perspective of someone who was 18 years and four months old when she started at Hamline, I am comfortable with the idea that I was not a full-blown adult then, and I am certainly not one now. I still have a lot of “real world” problems awaiting me outside of my college bubble. I have gotten a taste of it this year by moving off campus and living in a house. It is an old house with many issues. Our basement flooded, we have had mice, a few of our radiators refuse to work, and we discovered the hard way that the glass on our windows breaks very easily. This has helped me realize that I will probably be renting an apartment once I graduate to alleviate some of those problems for myself. Recently, my 1996 Jeep Cherokee completely broke down. My computer followed shortly thereafter. This all happened around the same time I had to pay rent. Needless to say, I was overwhelmed, and my bank account was cringing. After a good cry, I sat down to try and figure everything out. I cut back costs in some places and supplemented in others. No, this didn’t solve all of my monetary issues—not by a long shot. But it was a start.
an advisor, and find something you are passionate about. When we declare our majors, we are not necessarily signing our lives away to that particular topic. I know history majors who have gone on to be lawyers. The world is your oyster, to an extent. But the point of a major is to get going in a good direction and connect with people who can help. There are so many resources on our campus alone that students can take advantage of to carve out their futures. I figure I’m paying to be here, so why not get the most out of it that I can? As I work my way towards graduating and hopefully getting that career, the responsibility lies within myself to figure all of the “extra” stuff out. Whether that be moving off campus, getting my car fixed, or taking my computer to the nearest Apple Store (it’s in Roseville, in case you’re wondering). It is up to me to take the initiative. College is an environment where it is safe to ask for help and reach out to campus confidants, but as students, we will have to do all of the follow through. Some people may argue that college courses should teach how to do things like start a bank account or pay bills. I don’t think that is necessary. I say, use this transition time to figure it out for yourself and find the resources to help with success. The college bubble works nicely for that.
The world keeps moving forward. But do I have the tools to be ready for it
I know people deal with all kinds of problems every day, including some that are not easy to solve. But it makes me think: is college really preparing me for the real world? Am I ready for life after school? No longer will I be labeled as a student but as an adult. It is an uncomfortable thought for someone who admittedly never really took the time to digest it before. The world keeps moving forward. But do I have the tools to be ready for it? Here is how I’ve decided to view it: college is about careers. Go to class, get
College is a bit like a fake adulthood. We are not fully independent. We are still slightly dependent on those around us. For now, that is okay. But I don’t plan on taking this time for granted. I will solve my problems and find help if I need it to set myself up for real adulthood, which, trust me on this one, is right around the corner.
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Hamline has its fair share of musically inclined students and homegrown bands, and Alexander Natalie is definitely one to watch. An interview with Sophie Warrick, a Hamline sophomore and violinist for the band, gave me an inside look into what makes this band what it is, from living together to promoting honest music. Noah Topliff, a former Hamline student, had written an alternative folk album and through work association, asked Warrick to join the then-theoretical band in January 2017. This then became the catalyst for bass player Michael McGough, guitarist Sam Ketcham, and drummer Dan O’Keefe to consequently join in February. By later adding their sound engineer, Wilson Zellar, to the band permanently, Alexander Natalie emerged as they exist today. Honest music—lyrically, politically, musically, emotionally, and physically— is what the band is trying to convey. For this reason, Warrick prefers house shows over any other venue, saying, “People are more comfortable and open in that kind of a space, which embodies our message.” Coming from a classically trained musical background, it was incredibly difficult for this violinist to adapt from a heavily dictated
and structured creative process to a more improvisational one. Described as a completely different language, you could imagine the complexities and time invested in being able to play in both styles, Warrick explained. When asked how songs were created in this manner, she said, “Noah creates a skeleton and everyone else adds their own part,” which adds a completely new level of freedom and innovation, giving Alexander Natalie their layered, grounded yet ethereal sound. Warrick says living with the band is a lot of fun, as everyone can break from homework and the mundane parts of their day to rehearse whenever they want...though that leads to the best and worst factor of the house: “there’s always music,” Warrick explained. The house, like the band, is not complete without Michael and Wilson, but both are only a quick drive away, so it all worked out in the end. One of the hardest parts of having a band composed of college students and working young adults is that no one’s schedules match up, so rehearsing can be a challenge. Being in a band has the illusion of all fun and games, but if one truly wants to be successful it requires a lot of time, effort, and hard, unsung work. One difficulty Warrick mentioned was the consequence of intent vs. impact. Since all performances are experienced subjectively there is no way to ensure the intent of “honest music” gets absorbed in the way the band was intending; however, it is what they have and continue to strive for with each show. Warrick is hoping to connect with “new innovative artists” similar in sentiment with different styles. While Noah Topliff, the lead singer of Alexander Natalie, is playing solo at First Ave in the near future, Warrick hopes one day to see the whole band play there. It would not only mean much more exposure, but also just a huge step at playing at such an ionic venue in The Cities. Before 2019, the band plans to release their first album, whose title will be announced upon release. Stay connected through Instagram by following their account @alexandernatalieband for updates on upcoming shows and other music news. 28 | Canvas
“Patriotic Values” Visual by Sophie Warrick
Hamline is in and of itself, an echo chamber. We are a community in which we want to hear everyone’s opinions– except for when they differ from our own. Within the echo chamber, there is a pull towards information that serves to only confirm specific biases. As Hamline Pipers, we strive to find aspects that make our University better than any other—by embodying values such as Leadership, Scholarship, Community, Diversity, and Service as our core values. Within the echo chamber, biases are confirmed by alienating other paradigms as homes to disinformation. As Pipers, we engage with folks that agree with us and shun those who disagree. In an attempt to leave this echo chamber, the question remains—how will we match the overarching despotism? As folks that live in the USA, when we think of our country and our democracy, what words come to mind? Equal opportunity, freedom, liberty, voice, elections, rights, consent, inclusivity, plurality, to name a few. Patriotism may not be one that is included in the list.
The current definition of being a patriot is “a person who vigorously supports their country and is prepared to defend it against enemies or detractors” (Patriotism). In other words, being a patriot means supporting one’s country despite all of its flaws without question. What happens when we redefine being a patriot to “a person who vigorously supports their country by critiquing it and changing it into a country that they want to be loyal to”? What does Hamline hypothetically value? More importantly, what does Hamline value? Are Hamline’s values and hypothetical values the same? That’s up to us to critique. Special thanks to conversations and writings from Jackson Cobb, Noah Topliff, and Hannah Arendt. “Patriotism.” Dictionary.com, Dictionary.com, www.dictionary. com/browse/patriotism.
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COMMUNICATIONS, THE EASY MAJOR WORDS BY EMMA LARSON
“Your major is communications…?” “What can you do with that?” “That’s the easy major right?” “Oh, so you’re bad at math and science?” When telling people I’m a communication studies major, I usually get one of these very annoying responses. You would think that people would get that communications is the study of… communication, but often I still get people asking me what it is, what I can do with it, or telling me that I should switch majors. If you search “communications major” on Google, you will be flooded with memes mocking the major, deeming it the lazy major because we don’t have homework or that our only viable career choices are baristas or stay-at-home moms. This upsets me because I love this major so much. It’s hurtful that this stereotype still looms when we all work hard within our own niche of a broad major in order to some day be working in one of the many important jobs that have to do with communications.
I’ve known I wanted to be a communications major since I was a senior in high school when I took the college course Introduction to Communications and Speech. I was just so interested in the content and learning all the facets of how to communicate with people. It also helped that my mom was a communications major, and she assured me that with my love of writing and meeting new people it would be perfect for me. I fell in love with all the different things you could do with a communications degree, in fact the hardest part of the whole thing is deciding what I want to do for my profession because they all sound so fun. Anything from public relations, to social media, news and broadcasting, advertising, working on political campaigns, and everything in between, is applicable in the communications field. The list could go on and on. Communication studies professor Suda Ishida has been on the media side of the communications field for more than 30 years, working as a reporter in Thailand then looking into how people interact with media and the new kinds of media that have emerged over the years such as radio, TV, social media, and so on. “People often overlook the communications major because they take it for granted,” said Ishida. She explains that because communicating comes naturally we often overlook it, when in fact many of us don’t know how to communicate properly and effectively. Communication is seen everywhere and is needed for almost every aspect of your life. When 30 | Canvas
applying for jobs you use communication skills throughout the whole process: from writing your resume, then talking in the interview, and finally using interpersonal communication while interacting with co- workers. In the last 10 years with the increase of social media, understanding communication is now more important than ever. Social media has now become a whole separate branch of public relations that you can specialize in. Every company, brand, organization, sports team, and political campaign relies heavily on reputation through the social media lens. With political campaigns especially, a politician’s main goal is to communicate efficiently to persuade voters into supporting them, and they have whole teams of expert communicators enlisted into helping them. Professor Ishida explains, “It’s more important than ever to understand the importance of communications and what goes on behind the scenes.” Communications majors are trained to know how to
tap into people’s emotions and logic to really get their message across. It’s one thing to talk at someone, but it’s another thing to have them hear you. This is what you learn through our major. “It’s all about getting out there communicating with people and making the connections,” said Hamline’s Communications and Public Relations Specialist, Christine Weeks. In this digital age, it is more important now than ever to know how to communicate face to face. We are so used to communicating through screens that we are losing those interpersonal communication skills. For many classes in the major, our finals are papers and presentations. We are expected to have efficient public speaking skills so we are graded hard on eye contact and presence. With papers we write in APA style. Not only are we expected to know MLA style for other classes, but we must be literate in APA as well. We must perfect not only through in-person presence but also in writing as well. Adapting to communication in all different disciplines is important. Junior communication studies major Katie Pluff explains how important the use of communications is even for people outside the major. “The first and most obvious reason in my opinion is that communicating is the fundamental root of almost any position or career. You need this skill in order to advocate for yourself and others around you. For example, you
could be the smartest mathematician in the world and discover new ideas, but if you can not share them well, what use are they to others?” “People are watching people all the time; it’s just human nature. What makes it different is that people don’t know the ‘why’ of all of it,” explained Alayna Baggenstoss, a junior communication studies major. That is yet another route you can take In this major.
Research opportunities exist for communications majors to analyze behavior and to tell you why a person or group is acting a certain way. Doing this helps us determine what is the best way to communicate with different kinds of people. “Through my internship in the Marketing and Communications office at Hamline I learned that there [are] so many ways you have to be able to communicate because there are so many different types and writings and audiences you have to keep in mind,” said junior communication studies major Autumn Vagle. This is a professional world example not only about how communication translates into a real career but also about how the skills you learn from the major help you once you secure a job. I hope that I at least got you thinking about how versatile and useful this major can be, and I think this is a problem that happens a lot with majors that aren’t seen as automatically “rigorous” such as pre-law and pre-med. We need to come together and stop putting down other majors because they don’t fit into our own ideas of what skills are useful in this world. Every major has a purpose or it wouldn’t be a major at a university. Communications work is appreciated and needed in our society to help people share ideas and to help people, business, organizations, and movements grow. Go out and hug a communications major today, and try your best to communicate how much you appreciate them.
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S
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We asked you to anomymously tell us your secrets. There’s what you said.
I’m studying abroad next semester and I’m not planning on re-entering the US until Trump is gone.
!? I like my cat more than I like you.
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Sorry about the tattoo Mental illnesses are real, and I live with three. Why can’t you understand and support me? The decor in our house is so embarrassing I’m more independent than you give me credit for.
I broke grandma’s urn. I’m successful despite my childhood-- not because of it. your negative, constant obsession with my clothes is why I hated myself all through high school I really want to drop out
Can you use breast milk for cereal? my neighbor roasting his friend’s SoundCloud at 3am on a Tuesday As I’m living my life, I think to myself, this is what an NPC would do... Eating a sandwich for breakfast is wrong
?
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? You want another ear piercing? use a safety pin!
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Just sign up for as many credits as you can now and figure out a study schedule later! To not trust others. If you show your shoulders, you’re asking men to look at you. Blow off midterms (because being tired is a good enough excuse to give up half the points for your grade?)
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Editor-in-Chief Chloe McElmury Managing Editor Franki Hanke Associate Editors Leanne Byman Lydia Hansen Mary Kippley Art and Design Editors Zully Sosa Sophie Donahue
Editorial Board Sydney Holets Kelly Holms Cassie Willaert Design Chief Natalie Pieterick Design Assistant Jennifer Rosario Social Media Manager Emma Larson
Contributors Hanna Bubser Sophie Donahue Franki Hanke Lydia Hansen Mary Kippley Emma Larson Chloe McElmury Natalie Pieterick Zully Sosa Sophie Warrick Cassie Willaert
Our staff has come together to create a publication that looks at the Hamline community with a fresh perspective. By synthesizing creative and meaningful pieces with crisp and pleasing design, we hop to provide the Hamline community with a publication that spotlights its people and the work they do. Throughout these pages, we aim to tell the stories of the lesser-known on and around campus. We will not stop until Canvas covers all
We are looking for contributors and staff members to join our Canvas community. Canvas is a wonderful way to get involved, whether through writing or visual arts, get paid for your creative work, and be a published creator! Email: canvas@hamline.edu Website: https://canvasmagazine.online/ Facebook: @canvashamlineuniversity Instgram: @canvas_hamlineuniversity CANVAS
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